Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
When comparing Charles Schwab and ActivTrades, both brokers present their own unique features and regulatory standings. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab stands out with a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded entity and a bank, it holds five Tier-1 licenses—considered highly trusted—demonstrating its strong regulatory framework. In contrast, ActivTrades has been in operation since 2001 and isn’t publicly traded or a bank. While it holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, it still maintains a respectable Trust Score of 81, marking it as a trusted broker.
Overall, Charles Schwab offers a highly secure option for those seeking an online broker with stringent regulatory backing, thanks in part to its significant number of Tier-1 licenses and its status as a publicly traded bank. Meanwhile, ActivTrades provides a solid level of trust with its combination of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses, appealing to investors who prioritize regulatory oversight. Each broker’s regulatory standings can help users make an informed choice based on their personal investment preferences and risk tolerance.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
For commissions and fees, both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades earn 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings, Schwab is #26 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is #29 out of 63. If your priority is tighter typical forex spreads, ActivTrades held the edge in our data; if you prefer USD-settled trading with no minimum deposit and broad account flexibility, Schwab stands out.
Charles Schwab does not charge a commission for forex; your costs come from the spread. The average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips in October 2024, which is on the higher side versus the industry average. Forex is available through the Schwab One account on thinkorswim, with all trades settled in U.S. dollars and a smallest trade size of 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). Schwab Global adds access to 12 international markets in local currencies, with currency conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on your balance; note that placing trades in a foreign currency from a Schwab One account requires a phone call. The platform also displays overnight financing charges so you can estimate holding costs.
ActivTrades’ pricing will depend on the instrument and platform, but for forex the key cost is the spread; the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024—slightly better than the industry average, though not the lowest available. It offers an Individual Account plus Professional and Islamic options, with the same spreads across account types and no special active-trader pricing; spreads can widen around rollover, as is common. Bottom line: ActivTrades generally provides lower typical FX spreads than Schwab, while Schwab offers commission-free forex with USD settlement and multi-currency market access (with conversion fees). Choose based on whether tighter spreads or broader account structure and currency options matter more to you.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades for range of investments, Schwab offers far more to trade: 40,000 tradeable symbols versus 1,267 at ActivTrades. Schwab also lists 73 forex pairs compared with 49 at ActivTrades, and both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. For stocks, Schwab supports exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so clients can buy U.S. names like Apple as well as overseas listings; ActivTrades supports exchange-traded securities on international exchanges but not on U.S. exchanges. Both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. ActivTrades includes copy trading, while Schwab does not.
For Range of Investments, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. In short, Schwab is the better pick if you want a very large selection and access to U.S. stocks, while ActivTrades may appeal if you value copy trading and access to international exchange-listed shares.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades provide paper trading (free demo accounts), proprietary platforms, Windows desktop software, and web-based platforms, plus the ability to place trades directly from charts. The key differences are in third-party tools: ActivTrades supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Charles Schwab does not. The number of built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns for either broker wasn’t specified.
In independent testing of trading platforms and tools, Charles Schwab earned 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades received 4 stars and ranked #32. In short: pick Charles Schwab if you want a top-rated in-house platform experience, or choose ActivTrades if MetaTrader access and copy trading are priorities.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Charles Schwab and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, trendline drawing tools, and auto-saving for chart annotations. Where they differ is depth and convenience: Schwab’s app supports 374 technical studies versus ActivTrades’ 30, and Schwab syncs watchlists between mobile and the web platform, while ActivTrades does not. If you prize advanced charting and seamless watchlist syncing across devices, Schwab stands out; if you need core features with simpler charting, ActivTrades covers the basics.
Review scores back this up. ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab’s mobile apps at 5 stars and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #19. For traders who rely on rich chart analysis and consistent workflows across devices, Schwab is likely the better fit; those looking for straightforward mobile trading may find ActivTrades sufficient.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, helping traders stay on top of breaking events. Each broker also features an economic calendar covering current and upcoming global releases. However, neither platform includes third-party research suites from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is in sentiment data: ActivTrades provides a tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions across instruments, while Charles Schwab does not. Even so, Schwab earns higher marks overall for research (rated 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com), compared with ActivTrades (4 stars and #31). Choose Charles Schwab if you prioritize research depth and broad market coverage; pick ActivTrades if a built-in sentiment gauge is a must-have alongside news and commentary.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing education at Charles Schwab and ActivTrades, both brokers deliver a clear path to learn with at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos and ongoing client webinars held at least monthly. Each also offers 10+ advanced videos, so you can keep progressing as your skills grow. According to ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #38. In short, newcomers get plentiful videos and regular live sessions with both, but Schwab holds the edge in overall quality and recognition.
Details about whether either broker provides a dedicated library of 10 or more forex- or CFD-specific lessons aren’t specified here. What is clear is that both maintain active webinar schedules and sizable video catalogs, which can help first-time traders build confidence and move from basics toward more advanced topics over time.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than ActivTrades. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and ActivTrades, neither supports purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades for deposits and withdrawals: Charles Schwab supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, while ActivTrades supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | ActivTrades Review |
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